Five Facts about men’s mental health

pharmafile | October 31, 2025 | Feature | Medical Communications Five Facts, mental health, men’s mental health 

1

While only 15.4% of men are diagnosed with a common mental health condition (CMHC’s) in the UK (compared to 24.2% of women), suicide rates in men are three times more likely than in women. This suggests many mental health conditions in men largely go undiagnosed, likely through societal beliefs that men should not discuss their mental health.1,2

2

Men suffering with mental health conditions are most likely to be between the ages of 25 to 34, and 45 to 54, with CMHC frequency spikes seen in both of these age categories. In the younger age category, a disproportionate amount of these conditions are related to self-image, while in the older category, they are related to loss of sex drive and erectile dysfunction.1,3

3

Reports show that approximately 40% of men have never spoken to anyone about their mental health, whether that’s immediate family, friends or even professionals, with the most common reasoning that they have “learnt to deal with it” and that they “don’t want to become a burden”.4

4

In ethnic minorities, racism and bigotry are believed to drive higher prevalence in men’s mental health conditions. For example, it was found that black African and Caribbean men were more likely to be diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and PTSD, but only in countries with a non-predominantly black population.5

5

In 2014, more than two in five men who identify as gay, bisexual and transgender have been reported to experience depression, compared to one in ten heterosexual men. These statistics are believed to have increased further in the last decade.6,7

References

  1. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/adult-psychiatric-morbidity-survey/survey-of-mental-health-and-wellbeing-england-2023-24/common-mental-health-conditions
  2. https://mentalhealth-uk.org/mens-mental-health/
  3. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/male-menopause/
  4. https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/40-of-men-wont-talk-to-anyone-about-their-mental-health
  5. https://www.mind.org.uk/media/6771/get-it-off-your-chest_a4_final.pdf
  6. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a802e2fe5274a2e8ab4ea71/apms-2014-full-rpt.pdf
  7. https://www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/living-with-mental-illness/lgbtplus-mental-health/lgbtplus-mental-health/

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